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Transcript:Those Who Have the Motive
Reporter: This afternoon, Prime Minister Kayabuki made an inspection tour of Dejima Camp, Kyushu's refugee residential district. This is the first inspection the Prime Minister has made of the area since the repeal of the Refugee Special Action Policy was announced. However, due to the current political climate, an unavoidable rise in refugee protest is expected. Objection is mounting against the course of action considered too rush because it relies on radical legal reforms not yet in place. These reforms could prevent refugees who are faced with losing their current jobs from finding future employment and obtaining passports. And now for the financial news. As was re... Kayabuki: Hm? IN: Those Who Have the Motive; INDUCTANCE Minister of Home Affairs: This is the copy of a letter that was found in a bouquet that Prime Minister was given during her inspection tour. We don't have the crime lab report yet, but they say it's unlikely that they'll get fingerprints or anything else off of it. Aramaki: A threatening letter hinting that they will be on attempt on the Prime Minister's life, hm? So, what's this mean? Commissioner General: We have no idea. We were hoping that you might know or be able to offer some information. Aramaki: By the looks of it, I'd have to say that it was a proper noun for an organization or some such. CG: Right. The truth is that among the various recent acts of terrorism, those events that the National Police Agency has been keeping a close eye on since that takeover of the Chinese embassy, we've already found seven instances of an identical logo being used in the claims of responsibility. And in addition to those, they just turned up on a threatening letter to the Nanyou Shimbun Press and now this assassination warning to the Prime Minister. Aramaki: Do you know if any of these nine events have anything in common? CG: Nothing we've be able to find so far. I admit the officers in charge of the various cases miscommunicated information among each other; nevertheless the criminal motive and ideological background of each one was slightly different. Also, the contents of each letter had the air of an independent crime. None of them appeared to be related to one another. But now that we've noticed that these all have that logo in common, we're rushing to designate these series of events as a Nationwide Threat. Aramaki: Is it possible thrill crime or a copycat? CG: No, at this point, we don't believe that's probable. Only a handful of people outside this room know about that logo, even within the police department. It's never been mentioned in our press releases, either. Aramaki: Then, the only explanation must be that all nine are multiple terrorist attacks by a single group that's posing as independent crimes. CG: We've got the start of a Laughing Man type of terrorism on our hands that's utilizing some sort of information as a medium. MHA: But it's not in our best interest to prevent the Prime Minister from performing any more of her public duties. Aramaki: And her health? Chief Cabinet Secretary: That was a cover story we came up with and fed to the media in order to keep them distracted. MHA: Which brings us to the reason why we called you here, Aramaki. The Prime Minister has made it very clear that she doesn't want a word of this death threat breathed to the media. That's where you and your Section 9 people come in. Aramaki: You're asking for my team to provide personal protection for the Prime Minister? CCS: You catch on quickly. Aramaki: Commissioner, could you furnish us with the original death threat letter, as well? CG: We'll be taking care of the search for the criminals. The only job we need you to do is to see to the safety of the Prime Minister. MHA: And remember, you have to keep the media in the dark, so refrain from doing anything that would draw unwanted notice. Aramaki: Major, assemble everyone at the Prime Minister's residence. Batou: In other words, you're telling us we're going to be babysitters to the Prime Minister. Motoko: So, what's your take, Chief? You have an opinion about this, I'm sure. Aramaki: We're not dealing with a simple copycat crime. The situation is more complicated. Togusa: This threat is a warning to the Prime Minister for repealing the Refugee Special Action Policy, which the previous administration enacted as temporary legislation. And with there being no progress on the refugee issue after all the protests and their chants of, "End the discrimination! Set the refugees free!" they're calling it an act of treason against the people. Therefore they say they're going to execute her for that? What they say is completely inconsistent. The police may think that all these crimes were committed by the same organization, but at this point, I don't see how they could be. Nothing ties them together. Aramaki: If it weren't for the fact that they have this logo in common, I'd have to agree with you. Granted, I can't completely trust what most government officials say, including the Commissioner General, but considering that several claims of responsibility bearing this mark were sent as specific individuals, we've no choice but to operate on that assumption. Motoko: Another Stand Alone Complex... Batou: You're right. It does resemble the Laughing Man case. I've got to admit. Aramaki: At the moment, our objective isn't to determine the truth behind each crime. Focus the sum of your energies on guarding the Prime Minister. But at the same time, I also want you to investigate these threat and the logo in order to ID the person or group behind this. Motoko: Batou, Paz and Saito, you'll take security duty with me on the Minister. Togusa, I want you to research the logo angles. You're gonna be working with Ishikawa and Borma. All: Roger. Reporter: Prime Minister Kayabuki, out ill yesterday, was back in high spirits this morning as she held an extraordinary Cabinet session. However, with a budget committee meeting looming just days away and no sign of developments in the still-unsettled refugee policy in sight, Japan's first female Prime Minister has lost the luster she had when she formed her Cabinet, and her expression seemed clouded as well. Kuze: So, there's been no reaction to my death threat. I see that living up to your ideals has been a heavy burden for you, having to pay lip service for a brief time to the liberation of the refugees while at the same time doing nothing about it. I will spur you on by meeting out a punishment you so richly deserve. However, I must see to it that my secret rendezvous with her will be a special one, for it will never come again. Once an action is undertaken, withdrawing without completing one's objective cannot be tolerated. But an ideal that is acted upon with no goal in mind is doomed to failure, and your efforts will be foiled. I am a man with the motive. The Individual Eleven. Goda: This makes eight cases... Akamine: Excuse me, sir. You could have someone else do that for you. Goda: Hm? You caught me indulging in the guilty pleasure. This is something that I do because I enjoy it. I get a lot of effective ideas from printed information. I reinforce my memory of the material by poring over it on that way, I can rattle it off at the spur of the moment. Yes? Akamine: Intel sent it to us from the Secretariat, sir. Goda: Hm... Well, well. Some unusual elements have sprung up. The Prime Minister's getting death threats, which means we've got another live wire. What kind of profile do they have on this one? Akamine: The police haven't managed to identify the perpetrator yet. Goda: Why am I not surprised? Who's dealing with her safety? Momose: Public Security Section 9. Goda: Ah, our old friends. With them on the case, we don't have to worry, but we can't have her getting bumped off now, can we? Very well, I'll assign someone to tail the Prime Minister, too. I want you to find out who's issuing this death threat as soon as possible. If it looks like our fish is going to fall into Section 9's net, we'll step in and reel him in ourselves. Akamine: Understood, sir. Batou: Major, you don't think very gung-ho about this. Motoko: Really? It must be a hormonal thing. Batou: Quit joking around. What do you think of the missions we've been assigned to lately? As I recall, we were supposed to be an anti-crime offensive organization. Even if there has been a death threat against the Prime Minister, having our hands tied like this ain't my idea of a good time. Motoko: What? Are you fed up? Batou: What I'm getting at is, do you feel the same way? Motoko: I'm not sure. Batou: Huh... Ishikawa: Hmm... Doesn't look like there's ever been a group affiliated with the Refugee Liberation Organization that's used a symbol remotely similar to this one. Togusa: We haven't got a clue how to read this thing. It could be meaningless for all we know. Come on, people, write your name so that the outsiders can figure it out. Ishikawa: Vengeance, infinity and samurai... It does sorta hint at an ideological background, but still... Togusa: Maybe they're just using an established motif, one that already exists. Ishikawa: An example? Togusa: Hm, lemme think... Some literature from a historical figure, the title of a play or of a movie. It might be from a trademark that represents a person or group that played a prominent role in history. Ishikawa: Now I follow you. Found it. Says here that it's supposed to be read "The Individual Eleven." It's the title of the collection of essays on revolutions written half a century ago. Togusa: Put it up over here. Ishikawa: "Reflections on Nations and Revolutions: Collected Preliminary Essays on Revolution" by Patrick Sylvester. Yeah, I've read this before. Togusa: "Essays on Revolution"? Ishikawa: At the time the collection made his debut, however, the essays weren't exactly best-sellers, didn't make much of a splash. "The Rise of the Third Estate," "Breaking Free from Domination," "A Farewell to Kings," "Aspring towards Socialism," "Eve of the Rapture," "Parting Ways with the Gods," "Castro and Guevara," "12 Years of Nihilism," and "A Return to Principles." It's a compilation of preliminary essays composed of those nine. There's also a 10th one on "The May Revolution" which he witnessed firsthand and which kindled his own dreams of becoming a revolutionary leader. But there are theories that an elusive eleventh essay exists that the author himself locked away. It's believed he did this because he didn't consider the incident that happened in Japan to be a revolution. It's a composition with a story behind it, entitled "The Individual Eleven." Togusa: But there are no records whatsoever showing that it was published. Borma: Yeah, plus consider the source: this information is nothing more than data uploaded to the net by hardcore followers of this. Ishikawa: But there's something important here we mustn't overlook, those devoted fans are more than that. They're all fanatical individualists. Togusa: They see his essay as a bible for individualists, huh? ...Uh, I just remembered. You know when we searched that dead pilot's apartment during the case with the runaway GSDA helicopters? Ishikawa: Hm-hum? Togusa: I saw a note in his place that had this logo drawn on it. Ishikawa: Hm? Togusa: And what about the group of terrorist we tackled a while ago who took over the Chinese embassy, didn't they call themselves The Individual Eleven as well? Borma: Ah...? Togusa: Major. Motoko: I see. That is interesting information. Unfortunately, it isn't gonna help us get any closer to fingering our perp. Besides, the police have probably uncovered that much as well. Dive deeper and turn up something that'll identify our man. Don't skip over any potential clue no matter how insignificant it may seem. Togusa: Understood. Staff: Would you please check the contents of this? Kuze: Mull over the meaning of the message from my newly-awoken comrades. What is it that makes the bible of my struggle, "The Individual Eleven," so magnificent? It's in the way the author discussed the true nature of the May 15th event by comparing it to Japanese Noh drama. The warriors of Japan's feudal period scorned all manner of artistic expression except for Noh theater, which was the only art form they recognized. The reason for this was because they viewed that other styles of art as mere pretenses whose true nature was to repeat a predetermined set of actions again and again. In contrast, each performance in Noh theater is meant to be unique, the mental energy that instilled in them is thought to be exceedingly similar to that of actual events. If one were to give one's life as a revolutionary leader, that life would be sublimated into something transcendent. In death, a hero meets his mortal end, but he gains eternity. This is what Sylvestre tells us in his incomparably brilliant work of prose, "Individual Eleven." Secretary: I'm going to proceed with this, then. Kayabuki: Very well. Chief Aramaki, regarding the schedule I'll have for tomorrow... Aramaki: There's no reason for you to be worried. We'll make every effort to be unobtrusive while we accompany you, Madam Prime Minister. Kayabuki: I thank you. This is a personal matter, and I'm sorry for involving you. Come in. Motoko: Chief. Aramaki: What's wrong? Motoko: This was in the mail among letters and parcels that were addressed to the Prime Minister. Kayabuki: What is it? Aramaki: Perhaps it might be best if you didn't look at this. Kayabuki: Undue concern for women is what leads to contempt for them. ...Huh! Ishikawa: It's no use. I haven't been able to find anything on the content of the essay. Togusa: The topic of that thing was some kind of incident, what was it? Ishikawa: The event of significant consequence took place on May 15th, 1932. That's the day when a group of young naval officers, army cadets, and farmer sympathizers who had been swept up in a whirlwind of nation-building fervor decided to take radical action. The central figures of the plot succeeded in assassinating the Prime Minister at the time. As a result, Japan plunged headlong into an era of dominance by militarists. You can't justify what those officers did, they were heinous acts of terrorism plain and simple, but it's what happened afterwards that symbolically illustrates the importance of this incident. After the assassination of the Prime Minister, the 11 young army officers who participated were apprehended and brought before a military tribunal. But once the trial got under way, things began to take a strange turn. Based on the solid conviction in their beliefs, the defendants, who were barely in their 20s, started to make statements with tear-filled eyes, and declined any defense, saying that they were prepared to die. When they did this, it had quite an affect. The judges, the soldiers on the prosecution, the press, and the people in the gallery all found themselves sympathizing with the young men, and began weeping, too. What's more, the leniency movement, which had been unable to see much of the trial, gained tremendous momentum after the prosecution delivered its closing arguments. By the time the verdict was handed down on September 19th, 350,000 petitions had been sent in. Public opinion, which had been displaying ultranationalist tendencies, reached a fever pitch when the box full of 11 fingers, an amount clearly representing the number of defendants, was mysteriously delivered to the courthouse. Togusa: So after those 11 young officers killed the Prime Minister, a kind of nationalism began to spread: one that celebrated them as heroes. It's an essay authored by someone who was fascinated by the details of the event. I'm willing to bet that the more he wrote about the people involved in the case, the more strongly he identified with them. Motoko: They aren't real. In all likelihood these fingers were cut off of discarded prosthetic bodies. Togusa, 11 severed fingers were just delivered to the Prime Minister's home. Track down where they came from. Togusa: Did the Major just say 11 fingers!? Major, we've been working the essay angle, and we came across a situation that involved 11 fingers; it's connected to the May 15th incident. There's gotta be something to this. Head Priest: Good, you arrived in time. Many of the people who have come to us to meditate have a great affection for that picture. Kuze: I'm glad to be of help. Tachikoma 1: Hey, if I understand it correctly, Zen is not so much of a religion, but rather a means of freeing human karma from worldly thoughts, right? Tachikoma 2: For us, maybe that correlates it to something like deleting data from our cache when it's full. Yeah, maybe it's similar to that, and having our data synchronized, too. Tachikoma 3: Wow, if that's true, maybe we can link up to someone who's meditating and download enlightenment! Tachikoma 1-2: Yeah! Batou: The perimeter's clear. Still, our PM's being pretty damn selfish. Who in their right mind would go off for some Zen meditation when somebody's trying to kill 'em? And with us not being allowed into the main temple, this ain't gonna be on my head. Motoko: I think in her own way, she's fully aware of her situation. She wanted to meditate precisely because of that. And isn't that why she also agreed to the unofficial use of Interceptors? Batou: Look, I can admire her courage and all, but if she's only gonna let you link with the data... Kayabuki: Ah...! Kuze: Righteousness is on my side. Die! Motoko: Give up! You're completely surrounded! Kayabuki: Aah! Motoko: Tachikoma! Kayabuki: Don't worry. I'm all right. Tachikoma: Er? Er? Ehhh?? Motoko: Now that's a reinforced cyborg. Aramaki: Hmm. Begin a search of people with military ties. Kayabuki: I apologize for all this trouble. If you and your team hadn't been here right now, I'd probably be... Motoko: I'm not so sure. There's a possibility that he simply had no intention of killing you. Category:Transcripts